SF 510 



Hollinger Corp, 
pH &5 



>F 510 
.02 G3 
Copy 1 



Quail Culture 



from 
















j(. to <£. 



Price 50 Cents. 



We are the LARGEST IMPORTERS and BREEDERS IN AMERICA. 




u/e have 

for sale all varieties of 

Pheasants, Peacock, Swan, Wild Geese, Quail, 

Wild and Fancy Water Fowls, Poultry, 

Wild, Bronze and White Turkeys, 
Pekin, Cayuga and Wild Mallard Ducks. 

WE IMPORT MORE PURE BELGIUM HOMERS 

for SQUAB BREEDING than ANY OTHER 

FIRM IN THIS COUNTRY and we sell BETTER 

BIRDS for LESS MONEY. 

"NUFF SED" 

Stamp for circulars, they tell the rest. 

CAPE COD SQUAB, POULTRY & GAME FARM, 

Box S. Wellfleet, Mass. 



Quail Culture 

from 

J{ to oZ: 



By Geo. M. D. Gardinier, Jr. 

Deputy Game Warden. 



two Qoms Received 

MAR 6 1905 
Copyngnt tntry 

amss <4 xxc, m\ 

C«PY S. 






The entire contents and illustrations 

Copyrighted 1905 by 

Fanciers' Press, Wellfleet, Mass. 




he excuse offered for writing 
this book is as follows: For 
the. past eight years I have 
been breeding Quail with vary 
ing success until two years ago, when 
I struck the right trail, during the 
greater part of that time I have been 
nearly snowed under with letters ask- 
ing all manner of questions on the 
care and management of Quail, what 
to feed etc., until it took more of my 
time to answer letters than it did to 
care for my birds. At last I decided 
to write what little I know on the sub- 
ject and have same printed. Let me 
say right here there is nothing on the 
market in the food line like Cape Cod 
Pheasant and Quail Food for both old 
and young Pheasants and Quail. 
Yours frat'ly, 
Geo. M. D. Gardinier, Jr. 

Deputy Game Warden 



Digitized by the Internet Archive 
in 2011 with funding from 
The Library of Congress 



http://www.archive.org/details/quailculturefromOOgard 



Quail. 

Description of the Several 
Yarities. 

OW that the raising of quail 
in confinement is taking such 
a strong hold on the fanciers 
in general and is proving 
such a valuable addition to 




our large list of pets it is well that all 
needing same or thinking of taking up 
this branch of the game family should 
know the general appearance, habits, 
etc., of the several varieties. So in the 
following chapters I will try and de- 
scribe as to habits, color, marking, etc., 
in such a way that the amateur could 
pick out the different varieties, though 
in the sub-species he would have some 
trouble unless he had some birds for 
comparison or well acquainted with the 
plumage at the different seasons. I will 
start with the Bob-White, whose call is 
probably known to nearly every person, 
young or old, throughout the United 
States. 

Bob- White. 
Colinus Virginianus 
Common quail, is found in nearly 
every portion of the United States east 



of the Rockies. While they vary some 
in color in the southern states, the gen- 
eral appearance and habits are the 
same. They are found in coveys during 
fall and winter, while in the spring they 
mate in pairs, select a place for their 
nest and stay there during the nesting 
season unless disturbed, when they will 
find new quarters. 

The plumage of the common quail is 
very rich, especially in the male, and 
runs from a dull rich pinkish red on 
front and sides to greyish white with V 
shaped barrings of black brown on 
lower breast and under pails. The back 
is brownish-red; top of head black- 
brown, with white line starting at beak 
and running back through upper half 
of eye and nearly meeting at base of 
skull; throat white, surrounded with a 
narrow line of black; sides and back of 
neck white, spangled with black-brown. 

In female the white head markings 
are changed to brown, body markings 
duller. 

They build their nests on the ground 
in a fence corner, base of stump or 
some secluded spot in which they de- 
posit from 12 to 25 eggs, though as 
many as 38 have been taken from a 



single nest. They are white, quite 
pointed at one end and obtusely 
rounded at other, average size 1.20 by 

■95- 

Florida Bob- White. 

Colinus Virginianus Floridanus 

This variety is found in Florida and 
resembles the common variety except 
in plumage, which is a little darker, 
general habits same, eggs smaller, av- 
erage size 1. 19 by .92. 

Texas Bob-White 
Colinus Virginianus Texanus. 

This variety is found in Texas, North- 
ern Mexico and Western Kansas. 
Color somewhat lighter than common 
variety, genera' habits same, eggs 
smaller, average size 1.17 by .91. 

This variety, which is by far the 
handsomest of the partridge family, is 
found along the Pacific coast from 
Washington, south to San Francisco. 
It is quite a bit larger than the quail. 

The head of this bird is adorned with 
a crest of two long, black, keeled 
feathers (about 3 inches long). Top of 
head is slaty blue, throat a very rich 
chestnut, running into a faint black at 
edge and bordered on either side by a 



narrow white marking nearly meeting 
below. Sides of head and neck and 
breast slaty blue, under parts and sides 
a rich purplish chestnut, barred with 
white and black, back dark olive brown, 
under part of tail black. Female lighter 
and crest shorter. 

These birds breed along the Pacific 
coast region in the high mountain 
ranges and not below 4,000 feet. The 
nests are made on the ground of dead 
leaves under a bush or some tuft of 
grass. Eggs number from six to 
twelve, of a cream ground color with 
reddish tint, average size 1.36 by 1.02. 

Plumed Partridge. 

Oreortyx Pictus Plumifuus 
This is a sub-specie and is found in 
the Sierra Nevada M'ts. from Oregon 
southward through California. Though 
its plumage is not so rich as the Moun- 
tain Partridge its general appearance is 
the same, general habits same, eggs 
larger, average size 1.40 by 1.02. 

Scaled Partridge, 

Callipepia Squamata 
Sometimes called Blue Quail and 
Mexican Quail, is found in New Mex- 
ico, Arizona and Texas, down into 



Northwestern Mexico. 

The head of this bird is mounted with 
a short, full, soft crest of brown tipped 
with white, throat, head and back 
bluish-purple, shading into an olive- 
brown on wings and lower back, neck 
and breast orange-brown. Feathers on 
neck and breast are sharply edged with 
black, giving the scaled appearance. 
The feathers near the breast lose the 
scaly appearance. Female nearly like 
male. 

They nest in a slight depression 
under a bush. Eggs are buffy white, 
dotted with specks of light brown, and 
from 8 to 16 in number, average size 
1.24 by .94. 

Chestnut-bellied Scaled Par- 
tridge. 
Callipapla Jquamata Castanoyastris. 

The general appearance of this bird 
is like that of the Scaled Partridge, but 
the. color is a little deeper. It is found 
in the lowlands along the Rio Grande, 
while the Scaled Partridge inhabits the 
table lands. General habits same, eggs 
lighter, average size 1.15 by .94. 
California Partridge. 
Callipapla Californica. 

In the lower portions of California 



10 

and Oregon this bird is very abundant. 
It is also found eastward nearly to Col- 
orado valley.- It is sometimes called 
Valley Quail. 

The crest of this bird is black, about 
i 1/2 inches long and curves forward 
instead of backward, as in the mountain 
variety. The forward part of head is of 
a whitish color, finely marked with 
black lines, back part smoky brown. 
There is a white line running from bill 
under eye and back a little, then run- 
ning around the throat marking, which 
is a black brown. There is also a short 
white line on either side of head just 
above eye, neck same as back of head, 
with dark edging on feather and pen- 
ciled with white. Fore breast slaty- 
blue, under parts yellowish brown, 
deepening into golden brown, feathers 
edged with jet black, sides ashy, pen- 
ciled with white, black and ash. Fe- 
u.ale duller in color. 

This variety is not so particular as to 
its nesting place as the others, but gen- 
erally builds its nest on the ground, 
near a stump, rock, etc. Has been 
known to nest in trees, also in chicken 
rests. Eggs eight to twemy-fcr-r in 
number, of a creamy white ground, 




'mmm^,, 



1 1 

marked with blotches of old' gold. . Av- 
erage, size - 1 .2$ by .94;; -■;.: :\ 

Valley Partridge, ' 
Callipepla Californica Vallicola. 
There is no noticeable difference be- 
tween this bird and the California Part- 
ridge. It is found in the interior re- 
gions of Oregon, California and south 
to Cape St. Lucas. Plumage not so 
dark as the former variety, general hab- 
its same, eggs same. 

Oambel's Partridge, 

Callipepla Gambeli. 
Is found in Southern Utah, New 
Mexico, Arizona, Western Texas and 
Northwestern Mexico. It is also 
known as the Arizona Quail. It has a 
black crest similar to the California 
variety, forehead black with fine white 
lines on feathers, back of head chest- 
nut, separated from forehead by white 
line bordered with black, throat black 
outlined with a narrow white line, breast 
ash, running into white, under parts 
black-brown, shading into creamy 
white penciled with brown and ash near 
vent, sides rich chestnut penciled with 
black, white and ash, upper part of tail 
ash, sides and back of neck ash penciled 
with black-brown. Female lighter, 



12 

with black part underneath changed to 
gray-white. They nest on ground as 
the other varieties and lay from eight to 
sixteen creamy white eggs marked with 
blotches of chestnut-red and light drab, 
average size 1.27 by .98. 

Messena Partridge. 

Cyrtonyx Montezumae. 
In some sections they are known as 
the Fool Hen or Quail. It is found in 
New Mexico, Arizona, Western Texas 
and Western Mexico. The head mark- 
ings of this bird are quite hard to de- 
scribe and once seen will not be con- 
founded with the other varieties. Top 
of forehead black, running into a short, 
soft crest of brown, sides of head and 
small patch under bill marked with 
black lines (about 1/4 inch in width) on 
a field of white, which starts over the 
eye and runs in a circular form around 
under chin. Breast black-brown, very 
thickly spotted with white, middle line 
of breast and under parts mahogany, 
running into a black as it approaches 
the vent. The back is a mixture of 
white, black and yellow-brown. Fe- 
male has no head markings; back same 
as male; breast purplish cinnamon, 
mottled with black and white. 



Ne&t on ground, in clump of grass or 
in brush, eggs eight to fifteen in num- 
ber, pure white, average size 1.21 by 
.90. 

Most of the above, in regard to the 
localities where found, size and color of 
eggs, was taken from Davis' Nests and 
Eggs of North American Birds, which 
is without doubt the best work treating 
on these subjects. 




14 



Care and Management 
in Confinement. 

Though quail have been kept in con- 
finement by a limited few for a number 
of years back, nothing has been done 
towards the advancement of this game 
bird until the last five or six years. I 
think the first pair of Quail that were 
ever kept in confinement, that there is 
any record of, was in the year 1794. 
Quail are as easy to raise in confine- 
ment as the Pheasants and if anything 
easier, as they are of a more docile 
nature, then being smaller they require 
less food and room, an item worth con- 
sidering. In fact, you can keep ten 
quail in the same space and on the same 
amount of food that it will take to keep 
a Plymouth Rock hen in a good health- 
ful state. As far as I know or can 
learn, they are subject to no disease. If 
you are just starting into this branch of 
the fancy, first of all get all the informa- 
tion in regard to the houses, aviary, 
their care, etc., and know the require- 
ments of your birds from start to finish, 
then you will have little trouble in rais- 
ing same. The people who buy their 
stock first, putting it in any old place, 



knowing nothing in regard to tfrefi re- 
quirements, seldom make a success"* 

Select a good place for their house 
and aviary so you will have a place in 
which to put them after you get theni. 
It should be built on high, dry ground. 
If such cannot be had you can -get 
nearly the same results by filling the 
inside of aviary and under shelter with 
gravel and digging a trench around the 
outside of same. 

The aviary should be as large as you 
can afford and have room for, but one 
io by 16 ft. by 5 or 6 ft. high will com- 
fortably accommodate twenty-five or 
thirty birds. It should be built of 2 by 4 
stuff," using a twelve-inch board around 
the bottom, sinking same two or three 
inches in the ground. Above the board 
use either one foot or foot and a half 
one-inch netting. The rest may be cov- 
ered with one and a half inch mesh, but 
of course the smaller the better, and 
at the same time will keep out the 
bothersome sparrows. As to the height 
f the aviary it makes little difference, 
but don't have it less than four feet. 
( )n the width end you should build 
your shelter, which must be water 
tight, built full width of aviary, about 



o 



A* 

six feet deep, five feet front and three 
feet back, siding back and ends up tight 
so as to be free from draughts. Leave 
the south side open. You can make a 
door in either side next to shelter. 
Quail are very hardy and can stand the 
cold all right if their quarters are free 
from dampness. 

It will be well to set out some small 
evergreens or other shrubs in aviarv. 
Put some evergreen boughs in front of 
the shelter to keep snow out in winter. 
Have the ground higher under shelter 
so as to keep it dry and cover same 
with litter, hay or straw. If you will 
put a little brush or evergreen boughs 
in also, it will add a great deal to their 
comfort. The above can be erected at 
a small cost and can be used for both 
summer and winter quarters, but find I 
get better results by pairing up my 
birds in the spring and removing each 
pair to a small pen about 4 by 6 by 3 
ft. high built on the same plan as the 
larger ones and covering- same with 
one-inch mesh netting, make a place 
foi them to nest under by turning a 
small box about one foot square upside 
down, in one side of which an opening 
has been cut about 4 in. square. When 




The Head of a Male California Mountain Quail. 



17 

they show signs of nesting watch the 
hen bird very closely and as soon as she 
is through laying, remove the eggs and 
put in an incubator or under Bantam 
hen, of which the Cochin breed is the 
best, being good setters and excellent 
mothers. Of course the quail will hatch 
their own eggs, but she will teach the 
young birds to fear you and conse- 
quently you will not see much of them. 
When hatching with Bantam hen, fix 
a nest for her under the shelter of one 
of the small inclosed yards as described 
before. Dust both her and the nest well 
with some good insect powder before 
setting. Keep feed and water in pen 
so she can eat and drink when she 
wants to. If you are going to hatch in 
an incubator (which will be very inter- 
esting work) start your machine up at 
102 and run so for the first seven days, 
Run balance at 102 1/2 to 103. If the 
temperature rises to 104 or 105 when 
hatching don't be alarmed, for this rise 
in temperature is caused by the heat 
given off by the hatching birds. Do not 
take out of machine until eggs are 
through hatching, then remove to 
brooder, which is warmed up to about 
95 and gradually lower the tempera- 



18 

ture as they grow older. It is better to 
govern the temperature by the birds. 
If they huddle together give more heat. 
If they spread out, gasp and are uneasy, 
turn down. If everything is all right 
they will lie down and soon be fast 
asleep. Young birds raised in a 
brooder will, if handled carefully, be 
very tame, and will stay so if nothing is 
done to frighten them. They will also 
be free from lice. 

Have a dish of fine sand in the 
brooder from the start, but don't give 
them any food until forty-eight hours 
old, then feed some prepared game food 
or make a mash of equal parts of bran, 
cornmeal and fine middlings, adding 
about 5 per cent, fine sand, mix to a 
crumbly consistency with the yolk of 
raw eggs. Feed all they will eat up 
clean every two hours. Don't leave 
any in feed trays to get sour. After the 
fourth or fifth day add about 5 per cent, 
beef scraps and a little finely cut green 
stuff. Four feeds per day will be 
enough now. Scatter a little millet in 
some litter between meals, from the 
start. Keep clean, fresh water before 
them always and clean out dishes often. 
After youn'Qf birds are one month old 



feed three times a day and feed whole or 
cracked wheat as soon as they will eat 
same for their evening meal. We put 
up our own game food, which contains 
seeds, grain, animal food, grit, etc , and 
find we get better results with same. 

As soon as the young quail can get 
along without the heat of the brooder 
or shelter of the Bantam hen remove to 
the large aviaries, where they are to re- 
main all winter. After the nesting sea- 
son is over put all your breeders back 
in the large aviary and feed twice a day, 
in the morning a mash and evening a 
grain mixture of equal parts of wheat 
and buckwheat and ten per cent, 
cracked corn. Use about 15 per cent, 
beef scraps (ground) in their mash, feed 
a, little green stuff such as lettuce, cel- 
ery, etc., keep water, grit and charcoal 
where they can get at it, also some dust 
for them to dust in. In the winter feed 
the mash warm and add a little clover 
meal, also add more corn to the grain 
mixture. A good animal food may be 
had by exposing to the flies a piece of 
fresh meat, placed in a box or crock in 
some moist bran and as soon as eggs 
are laid, cover with bran. You will 
soon have a nice lot of magots, which 



20 

make excellent animal food. 

As to the variety you will keep, it 
makes little difference as the require- 
ments are about the same, though some 
will stand more dampness than others. 
The California variety are the handsom- 
est, but the common quail is a very 
pretty bird and the one most seen in 
confinement. The Quail Fancy is a 
very interesting study and once taken 
up is not often passed by for something 
else. Any one thinking of taking up 
some variety of bird or animal to breed 
will do well to at least give this hand- 
some bird a trial and will never regret 
having done so. 

In conclusion will say if you will 
make a success of the Quail Fancy, re- 
member these few things: Feed good, 
sweet food, keep your water fountains 
clean and filled with fresh water, see 
that there is grit and dust box handy, 
have your buildings water proof and 
free from draughts and dampness and 
send in your name for at least a year's 
subscription to the Pheasant and Squab 
Journal, which will keep you in touch 
with the doings of your brother and 
sister fanciers, and its advertisements 
will tell you where to buy good stock 
from reliable dealers. 




21 



Useful Quail. 

HE ornithologists of the De- 
partment of Agriculture have 
been making an investigation 
of the economy value of the 
bob-white, as a result of 
which it is now announced that that 
bird is "probably the most useful abun- 
dant species on the farm." Field obser- 
vation experiments and examinations 
show that it consumes large quantities 
of weed seeds and destroys many of the 
worst insect pests with which the farm- 
ers contend, and yet it does not injure 
grain, fruit or any other crop. It is fig- 
ured that from September 1 to April 30 
annually, in Virginia alone, the total 
consumption of the weed seeds by bob- 
whites amounts to 573 tons. Some of 
the pests which it habitually destroys, 
the report says, are the Mexican cotton- 
boll weevil, which damages the cotton 
crop upwards of $15,000,000 a year; the 
potato beetle, which cuts off $10,000,000 
from the value of the potato crop; the 
cotton worms, which have been known 
to cause $30,000,000 loss in a year; the 
chinch bug and the Rocky Mountain lo- 
cust, scourges which leave desolation in 



22 
their path and have caused losses to the 
extent of $100,000,000 in some years. 
The report urges measures to secure the 
preservation of bob-whites in the coun- 
try. 




23 



Quail Culture. 



N writing the culture of quail 
we. give you our experience 
of five years. The first two 
years were full of mistakes 
and losses. We did not eive 



^ 



up, but stood by the ship when she 
was sinking fast, and at last ran her 
on shore, fixed up her battered hull and 
started all over again. Finally we 
found plain sailing. 

It has taken time, money and pa- 
tience, but as we had plenty of time, 
lots of patience and a good financial 
backing, we haye at least got to the 
point where both ends meet and 
enough left to buy a cigar or two. But 
this coming season will see us with a 
balance on the right side of the book. 

That like all other experiments was 
not without its losses and discouraging 
periods, but Yankee pluck and good 
financial backing got there at last. 
Now that we have got this down to a 
profitable point we are going to see 
that others have the same chance as 
ourselves. 

Do you know there is money in rais- 
ing quail for market if nothing more. 



24 

Then there is the gun clubs, breeders 
and those that want them for pets, and 
all are willing to pay a good price for 
them. 

Anyone that loves pets would buy a 
pair of tame quail at a good price. I 
remember the first pair of Bob White 
we ever sold five years ago and got 
$10.00 for them from a gentleman who 
saw them hanging in a cage in our 
window. 

Quail roost on the ground in a circle, 
head out, and never on perches. So a 
quail house need not be had at all. 
But we found it of advantage to us to 
have houses built with the front open, 
that is, hinged at the top so when the 
front is opened it stands out like an 
awning. This house is 3 feet wide, 3 
feet high in front, 2 feet in the rear and 
12 feet long-, made of box boards one- 
half inch thick. This was our first 
house. We put boxes in for nests and 
used to drive the quail in every night. 
They used to lay in the nest and raise 
their young. 

We were very successful with them, 
but as we enlarged our stock we con- 
cluded to build our yards without any 
houses and accordingly we made yards 






25 

T 3 by 50 feet, 6 feet high, covered with 
one and one-half inch mesh wire and 
around the bottom, commencing at the 
top of the base board, we put a strip 
of Factory (cotton cloth) a yard wide 
all around on the four sides. This 
saves the birds from being frightened 
by strangers or stray dogs. From this 
method of yarding we have had far 
better results than ever before. Do 
not use 2-inch mesh wire for side or 
tops as they can get through that and 
always cover over the tops as well as 
the sides. In each yard plant shrubs 
and make it look as near wild nature 
as possible. 

The most essential thing in raising- 
quail is plenty of shade in the summer 
and shelter from the cold blast of 
winter. 

Quail can be fed the same as chick- 
ens, the only difference is the quantity 
and size of the food. The best food for 
quail is Cape Cod Quail Food, Kaffir 
corn, crack corn, wheat, buckwheat, 
hemp, millet, with plenty of maggots, 
dead flies, grass, lettuce, Cape Cod 
Game Bird Mash and Mica-Crystal 
grit, with a mash of corn meal, brand 
and middlins three times a week with 



26 

one tablespoonful of Cape Cod Game 
Food to each dozen birds. This mash 
is as necessary as any of the rest of the 
food for winter, only it gives them the 
animal food that they can get no other 
way, and it insures you getting fertile 
eggs and lots of them in the spring. 
Don't forget oyster shell. The birds 
need it to make egg shell. 

The quail are an industrious bird, 
being on the hunt from morning till 
night, looking for bugs, grasshoppers, 
worms, etc. When they have a large 
grass run it is unnecessary to feed 
more than once a day, the evening pre- 
ferred. When they get used to being 
fed at that time of the clay you will see 
them come from far and near, each one 
trying to get there first, then after they 
have had their supper will hop upon 
the poles or boxes and sit there as 
though they were at peace with all the 
world. Nothing will drive away a bad 
case of the blues quicker than to see a 
-flock of quail after their evening meal, 
sitting on the poles or boxes, picking 
their feathers, shaking themselves and 
whistling that call, "Bob White." 

When the birds are penned for the 
winter, do not forget green food. 




a 
>> 

15 

> 
to 

£ 
o 



27 

Clover hay is the best we have ever 
found — Cape Cod Brand — to substi- 
tute for green grass. It should be fed 
to them every other day. If the above 
method of feeding is followed closely 
the quail will be healthy, strong, vigor- 
ous and very prolific. 

Among a flock of quail there are al- 
ways some that are larger and hand- 
somer than others. The large females 
are always the best layers, so it be- 
hooves the owner to pick out the best 
of the flock to breed from, and sell the 
smaller and scrub stock to the market. 

It is best to buy your stock from reli- 
able breeders. While inbreeding can 
be carried on successfully for two or 
three years, we do not recommend it. 
It only costs a few dollars to get new 
stock ,and the result is always more 
satisfactory. 

In following the above rule in mat- 
ing you will find that the young will 
grow larger, handsomer and lay more 
eggs, and that the culls will bring you 
more than you can get if you allowed 
them to mate haphazard. 

We have always found it best to let 
the quail hatch their own eggs instead 
of hatching them under hens, as it does 



3* 



•rt, a lot of work and there is 
away with a lot o tch . ng eggs 

where the profit ». i {eed each 

under hens you have ^ 

y° Ung °" e T:h£eo/a lead pencil. 

a stick about the size 

make it flat on one end, ben ta 

^^fltatTo the"oun g birds. 
down the throats o 

Always use A 1 ^« four or five 

n ever use the fingers ^ nest> 

times a day until they days 

which they wfll Jo m fom {t 

You can see how much ^ 

would be to feed a very la g ^ 

of young broods by hand ^ 

old birds hatch tfi-joun 

o£ feeding !S all done > aye 

rr^^-^dandthepa- 
re „t birds wiU do the re^ heir 

^ aUin t e hIrtts^ the wheat 
nest in the ^^ and bushes 
field, or m the hed B Tbe 

Wher£ the " ;:fSy" dden that unless 

nest is so carefully ^ bird 

one almost steps on t ^ 

will not move, but n 

oft - vou can then find ^ J in art , 

I{y0 "T a " t \rn hetilowing is a, 
frcial nests then 




California Valley Quail. 



29 



near perfect as I ever used and I 
have used several : Take a log and split 
it injialf, lengthwise, put one end on 
the ground, flat ways, and prqp up the 
other end about six inches from the 
ground. Then cover it over with 
straw, grass, hay, weeds, or anything 
that will make it look natural, but al- 
ways leave the high end open so birds 
can go in to lay. If you have no logs 
handy then take any old board ten or 
twelve inches wide and two feet long, 
put it up the same way, and be sure 
and always have them face the south. 

We always prefer to let the old birds 
make their own when and where they 
please, we never disturb them. In this 
way we have the best results. 

The fertility of quail eggs is about 
96 per cent, with the exception of the 
first three eggs laid which are never 
fertile. The eggs hatch about the same 
per cent. The birds always mate in 
pairs and a female without a mate will 
be barren. 

Although we heard of a case of there 
being two pair and one male got killed 
in June, but both females laid and 
hatched young, she must have mated 
with the male before he died. It has 



30 

been tried several times to see if a 
male would take more than one female, 
but so far I believe it has been unsuc- 
cessful. Time and domestication may 
change this, as the pheasant in his wild 
state only has one mate, but in domes- 
tication he has three or four and have 
good results. 

There are two or three varieties that 
still continue to be true to one mate. 
So if the pheasant will mate with more 
than one female it is possible that the 
quail can also be converted to the Mor- 
mon laws of polygamy, let us hope so 
at least. 

The first food for young quail should 
be given about 36 or 40 hours after 
they are hatched, that is, it should be 
thrown into the pen so tfie old birds 
can get it to feed to the young until 
they are old enough to leave the nest 
and hunt for themselves. 

The food should be Cape Cod Quail 
Food and Cape Cod Game Bird Mash. 
They should be fed every three hours 
and only what they will eat up clean. 
Feed the mash every second day at 
noon. After they have been running 
around for three or four days give 
them a feed of maggots and dead flies 



31 

once a day. Give the maggots one day 
and the flies another. 

This food can be kept up until the 
birds are full grown. 

Don't forget to give plenty of green 
food, lettuce' leaves, millet and rape 
seed. In the mash for old birds in win- 
ter mix clover hay. They must have 
plenty of Mica-Crystal grit, quail size, 
and pure, fresh water in shallow, clean 
tins. 

The quail will lay from forty to 
seventy eggs a year and raise two 
broods if properly treated. Some quail 
hens will lay fifteen eggs and stop, 
others will lay twenty-three and then 
sit. If you go, at it the right way you 
can get a hen to lay from eighteen to 
twenty eggs before she will sit. 
Fright also has a good deal to do with 
-the number of eggs she will lay, also 
if she is moved to a strange place she 
will quit laying altogether. 

. A quail can cover about seventeen or 
eighteen eggs and make a good hatch. 

There is no contagious disease 
among quail that has yet made its ap- 
pearance. Occasionally one dies, but it 
is through neglect to give proper care. 
The best safeguard against disease is 



32 

plenty of fresh air and water, whole- 
some food in suitable variety, cleanli- 
ness. Follow the above and you will 
have no trouble with disease. 

We are often asked if there is a 
market for quail and do they bring 
good prices? Yes, there is always a 
ready market for quail, both live and 
dead and prices are good. 

Again some ask can I raise quail? 
Well, we don't know, but if you follow 
the rules laid down in this book you 
surely can. 

Do quail have lice and disease? 
Yes, they have lice, but not disease. 

How many breeders can I take care 
of and how many young will a pair 
raise in a season? How many you can 
take care of depends on yourself, from 
one pair to one thousand. One pair of 
breeders will raise about twelve and 
sometimes as high as twenty. 

What does it cost to start in the 
business? That depends on how much 
you want to invest. If you have a yard 
the quail cost from $2.00 to $12.00 per 
pair. You can buy stock as low as 
$1.00 per pair, but what are they? 
Either scrub or Southern stock which 
will not live in tfc'e North. It is best 



33 . 

to pay a trifle more and get choice 
large hardy birds. 

Where can I get quail ? Give me the 
names and addresses of those that 
have all kinds of quail. There are sev- 
eral dealers advertised in this book 
whom we gladly recommend as being 
honest and reliable. 

The California Mountain and Valley 
Quail, Mexican, European and Cuban 
Quail can all be successfully raised in 
confinement same as Bob-White if 
directions in this book are followed. 

If any further information is wanted 
that is not found in this book, you can 
obtain it by sending stamp to the 
Author. 



LofC. 



3.4 



How to Plant Quail, 




O plant Quail is a very sim- 
ple thing to do and if you 
once start right you will 
have good success and your 
birds will multiply much 
more than if you put them out hap- 
hazard. Select the place that you wish 
to stock and spread out your grain, 
something that they will like and be 
sure that you have a bush or a hedge 
close at hand for them to run into 
when they are let loose, then sprinkle 
the food close to the bush or hedge, 
not over two feet away. When you 
have everything in readiness let it re- 
main over night and the next morning 
take your SEED BIRDS and put them 
in a basket, also take a pail of FRESH 
water and start out. When you have 
reached the spot selected for the first 
pair, catch them and soak their wings 
in the water UP TO THE SHOUL- 
DERS and let them loose and they will 
at once RUN to the bush or hedge and 
there they will sit and dry their 
feathers and by the time that they 
have dried their feathers they will 
have gotten over their fright, and will 
see the food and will at once com- 



15 

raence to eat. After they have eaten 
all they wish they will begin to mate 
and look for a place to build their nest 
and if they are not disturbed they will 
bring forth a goodly number of young, 
and should the season be a dry one 
they will nest the second time. 

The reason that we advocate the 
wetting of the wings of each bird is so 
that it cannot fly away as they woulil 
do otherwise and it gives the birds a 
chance to make love to each other 
while their feathers are drying and 
they will make the most of it, while on 
the other hand if they are turned loose 
all at once, and in the same spot, some 
of them are liable to kill themselves by 
flying against trees, or they are liable 
to die of fright and over exertion. In 
my 8 years of experimenting in quail I 
have found NO BETTER way to plant 
quail than the above and I know that 
if it is followed that you will get better 
results and be more pleased with it. 

Now a word in regard to getting the 
SEED BIRDS. Since the Lacy Law 
it is a hard matter to get birds and 
they cost from $7 to $10 per dozen the 
first part of the season, but after the 
first of January they go still higher and 



■M 

are worth from $9 to $12 per dozen, 
but the best birds I EVER bought 
were purchased from the CAPE COD 
SQUAB, POULTRY & GAME 
FARM at WELLFLEET, MASS. 
They were hardier and stronger and 
better birds than I ever got before and 
they did NOT COST ME AS MUCH 
as other dealers ask. I could not ask 
for better treatment or better birds. 




Have you seen a copy of the P. & S. 

Journal if not send 10 cents for a 

sample copy. 

uhis journal contains advice on the care and 

management of {Pheasants from eyy to show room, 

Jfcow to successfully raise Squabo for the 

market. 2/ou can't afford to be without it. 

To all who send 50 cents and mention this book will 

receive the JOURNAL a FULL YEAR, regular price $1. 

FANCIERS' PRESS, WELLFLEET, MASS. 

We have the BEST FOOD for 

Quail, Pheasants and Ducks 

Ever put on the market. 

It is endorsed by the Editor of the 

Pheasant & Squab Journal, also 

by the writer of this book 

and THOUSANDS of breeders all over the U. S, 

and Canada. Price $3. per 100 lbs. 

Cape Cod Poultry & Pigeon Supply Co., 

Box 329. Wellfleet, Mass. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
III 



003 255 213 4 i 



